CHRONOLOGY OF CUBAN SHOOTDOWN, 24 FEBRUARY 1996

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06112368
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: March 8, 2023
• Document Release Date: March 25, 2019
• Case Number: F-2013-02649
• Publication Date: March 6, 1996

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'PANIC
rOlivt4
The Director of Central Intelligence
Washington, D.C. 20505
NIC 1513/96
06 March 1996
MEMORANDUM FOR: Intelligence Community
FROM:
Randolph H. Pherson
National Intelligence Officer
for Latin America
SUBJECT: Chronology of Cuban Shootdown - 24 February 1996
1. Attached is the UNCLASSIFIED chronology of the shootdown
of two civilian aircraft by a Cuban MiG on 24 February 1996.
Also attached are two FFAL documents: A map of
"Approximate Paths Flown by US Civilian Aircraft and Cuban MiG,
24 February 1996" and an "Analysis of Cuban Statements on Downing
of Two US Civilian Aircraft." All three documents have been
fully coordinated within the Intelligence Community.
2. If you have any questions or comments, please call Randy
Pherson, NIO/LA on
Attachments:
As Stated
Ranaolph H. Pherson
FOR 0 i USE ONLY
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Eal-G�P�-71rL--�usE-Mir
SUBJECT: Chronology of the Cuban Shootdown - 24 February 1996
NIO/LA:RHPerson (06 March 96 - G:151396.Doc)
Distribution:
Original - Addressee
Faxed to Intel Community Reps
Internal Community
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Chronology of Aircraft Shootdown by Cuban MiG, 24 February 1996
09281 Brothers to the Rescue (BTTR) files six flight plans telephonically, initially for a 1015 planned
departure.
1000-1300 Cuban fighter aircraft conduct air patrols in reaction to what they believe are incursions into
Cuban territorial airspace by aircraft operated by BTTR. The Cuban aircraft return to their
base making no contact with any aircraft. �
1148 BTTR pilot updates three flight plans to reflect intended 1230 departure. Other three flight
plans expire at 1215.
1313 Three US-based civilian aircraft belonging to BTTR depart Opa Locka Airfield, Miami:
They are identified as:
Aircraft
Dceupants
Tail
Number
Transponder
Cs2siti
fe..Q1Qr
1
Jose Basulto
Arnaldo Iglesias
Andres Iriondo
Silvia Mond�
N2506
1222
Light Blue
2
Carlos Costa
Pablo Morales
N2456S
1223
White and Blue
3
Mario de la Pena
Armando Alejandre
N5485S
1224
White and Blue
w/ Red Stripe
1456-1457 Pilot of Aircraft 1 informs the Havana civilian Air Traffic Control Center that the three planes
intend to operate south of the 24th parallel. The Havana Control Center warns pilot not to fly
south of the 24th parallel because the area was "active and dangerous." BTTR aircraft
respond they are aware of the danger but will fly south of the 24th parallel anyway.
1504-1513. US Customs radar shows the three civilian aircraft operating south of the 24th parallel.
US Customs radar also shows two fast-moving aircraft airborne north of Havana. Subsequent
information identifies them as a MiG-23 and a MiG-29 out of San Antonio de los Banos
Airfield.
1515* US Customs radar shows Aircraft 1 approximately 1 nm north of Cuban territorial airspace
(which extends 12 nautical miles from the Cuban coastline) and heading south. US Customs
radar show Aircraft 2 and 3 several nautical miles north of Aircraft 1, further from Cuban
territoral airspace.
Eastern Standard Time
Three minutes have been subtracted to reconcile a consistent three minute difference between times
reported by Customs radar and other data sources.
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1516* Data derived from US Customs radar shows Aircraft I entering Cuban territorial airspace.
1518 The Cuban MiG-29 pilot visually acquires a small aircraft.
1519-1520 Cuban fighters request permission to fire on a white and blue Cessna 337 aircraft. Cuban
ground controllers give pilot authorization to destroy aircraft.
1521 MiG-29 pilot reports that Aircraft 2 has been destroyed.
1521* US Customs radar shows no Aircraft 2 on scope. US Customs radar last observes Aircraft 2
approximately 5 nm outside Cuban territorial airspace.
1523 The crew of a Norwegian-flagged cruise ship, located in international waters, sees the
explosion of Aircraft 2 from 6-7 nm away, and places the shootdown at approximately 8 nm
outside of Cuban territorial airspace. The crew of a US-registered fishing boat also observes
the downing of .Aircraft 2 in international waters. The fishing boat immediately alters course
and proceeds to the crash site where the crew observes an oil slick and an orange float.
1523* Aircraft 1 reenters international airspace.
1524 MiG-29 pilot visually acquires Aircraft 3.
1526 Cuban ground controllers give MiG-29 pilot permission to destroy aircraft.
1528 MiG-29 pilot reports Aircraft 3 has been destroyed.
1528* US Customs 'radar shows no Aircraft 3 on scope. US Customs radar last observes Aircraft 3
approximately 16 nm outside Cuban territorial airspace.
1529 The crews of the cruise ship and the fishing boat observe a military jet firing a missile that
destroys Aircraft 3. The cruise ship places the downing of the aircraft at about Ilnm outside of
Cuba's 12 nautical mile territorial airspace. Approximately 15 minutes later, the
cruise ship passed within 2-3 urn of the crash site and observes an oil slick but no debris.
1709 Aircraft 1 lands at opa Locka Airfield in Miami, Florida.
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FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Approximate Paths Flown by US Civilian Aircraft and Cuban Min, 24 February 1996
US Aircraft 1
- - - US Aircraft 2
US Aircraft 3
� - � Cuban MIG-29
Tkarefii.- 77ird
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FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
/38858 196
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Analysis of Cuban Statements on Downing of Two US Civilian Aircraft (U)
(All Times Local)
Cuban Assertions
On 19 February, Cuba circulated information
through the aviation information system that it was
establishing a dangerous zone from 21 to 28
February. (Havana Tele Rebelde)
Havana's Flight Control Center received a
flight plan at 9:33 am for Cessna-type aircraft
due to depart Opa Locka. (Havana Tele Rebelde)
Between 10:15 am and 11:27 am. on 24
February, three planes entered Cuban
airspace, chased off by Cuban fighter.
(MINREX note, dated 2/25)
At 10:40 am Cuban aviation authorities asked
Miami air traffic control for information on the
aircraft which had not reported their takeoff or
contacted Cuban authorities. Miami replied that
it had no information. (Havana Tele Rebelde)
At 12:25 Havana receives flight plans for three
aircraft that were to take off from Opa Locks..
(Havana Tele Rebelde)
At 1:21 pm, Havana air traffic control
warned Cuban-American plane headed for
Cuba that Air Defense Identification Zone
(ADIZ) north of Cuban territorial
limit was "active and dangerous"
(already OD alert), Pilot replied that
he understood the danger, but planned
to go ahead.
(MINREX note, dated 2/25)
At 3:15 pm, "it was learned from an internal �
communication of one of the Cuban-American
pilots, that they were on their way to Havana."
(MINREX note, dated 2/25)
Two Cuban-American aircraft violated
Cuban airspace while the lead plane stayed
back. (MINREX note, dated 2/25)
What We Understand
The Cubans activated a danger zone from
21 to 28 February from 8:00 am to 6:30
pm each day, according to an international
notice to airmen filed with the FAA on 49
February.
At 9:28 am the Brothers to the Rescue filed
six flight plans telephonically for a 10:15
am departure but we have no information
confirming the planes actual departure.
US Government information reflects Cuban
detection of one airspace violation at 10:46
am; two fighters noted on defensive patrol
at 11:50 am. We have no information from
US radar indicating any flights from Florida
entering Cuban airspace during this time
period.
At I1:48 a Brothers to the Rescue pilot up-
dates three flight plans to reflect intended
12:30 pm departure. The planes do not
actually depart until 1:13 pm, according to
the FAA.
Reflected in transcripts release&
In subsequent debrief, Brothers to
the Rescue pilot in the plane, Jose Basulto,
acknowledged that he received the warning.
Note that Cuba's Havana Tele Rebelde
chronology of 4 March has the conversation
occurring at 2:57 pm.
� US Government information indicates
Cuban ground controller's belief that.
Cuban-American planes wanted to
take a good look at the capital.
Customs radar track shows that the
lead aircraft entered Cuban airspace,
and that the other two did not.
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MiG-29 pilot claims he warned Cuban-
American aircraft, but they ignored
it; Foreign Minister Robaina says pilots
"rejected all the efforts to make them land."
Alarcon says "We, of course, have all the
conversations between our authorities and
the pilots recorded." The Cubans say the
MiG made a "warning pass."
(MiG pilot interview, 2/26; Robaina's
press conference in NY,2/28; Alarcon's
press conference, 2/26, Tele Rebelde, 3/3)
Two planes downed between 3:21 pm and
3:28 pm on 24 February.
(MINREX note, dated 2/25)
Incident occurred "between five and
eight miles north of Baracoa Beach, west
of Havana." (MINREX note, dated 2/25)
National Assembly President Alarcon
discounts cruise ship account. Says
video filmed by tourist. Smoke seen
by cruise ship witnesses could have
drifted north--outside territorial
limit--from crash site. (Alarcon press
conference, 2/26)
Alarcon claims Cuba has found wreckage from
the downed aircraft in Cuban territory.
He discounts Gulf Stream currents, which he
says should carry objects north.
(Alarcon's press conference, 2/26)
Conversations released by Brothers to
the Rescue pilots reflect no indication
of warning actions by MIG fighters.
US Customs radar tracks show no evidence
of MiG warning marteuvers.USG
information shows no attempt on part of
Mig pilots to establish radio contact with
Brothers to the Rescue pilots before
shootdown.
Times track with Caribbean Regional
Operations Center.
US Customs radar indicates planes
downed five and 16 miles outside Cuban
airspace.
Norwegian cruise ship witnesses--including
experienced professional seamen--estimate
that first plane is downed approximately
eight nautical miles from Cuba's
territorial limit. The ship used its
sophisticated Global Positioning System
to pinpoint the downed aircraft's location.
US Government aware of Cuban claim
that a suitcase containing leaflets was
recovered during search and rescue
efforts, despite other reports of lack.
of floating debris. Basulto denies
carrying leaflets in subsequent debrief.
US fishing vessel that also witnesses
incident sees nothing but an orange float
at first crash site.
Norwegian cruise ship passes
within two to three nautical miles of second
crash site; crew sees nothing but small
oil slick (presumably through optical aids).
US Government aware of Cuban search and
rescue operations seven to eight miles off
Baracoa Beach.
US Coast Guard estimates current in
Straits flowing 1.3 knots in easterly
direction on day of shootdown, so debris
could have skirted or floated into Cuban
territory from inter-national waters
where shootdown occurred. USGC
Intelligence Coordination Center
(ICC) based the estimate on data from a
2
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marker buoy dropped in vicinity of
splashdown and allowed to drift overnight.
ICC then put data from the buoy into its
Search And Rescue (SAR) model to validate
the estimate.
Fact that US requested permission to search
in Cuban territorial waters means US accepts
Havana's contention that shootdown occurred
in Cuban airspace. (Alarcon press conference,
2/26)
US, not Cuba, responsible for incident. Brothers
to the Rescue have repeatedly violated Cuban
sovereignty and disregarded US laws.
(Alarcon press conference, 2/26)
US was aware of Brothers to the Rescue plan
to violate Cuban territory on 2/24 because
Cuban agent inside the group had
warned FBI beforehand.
(TV interview with Cuban agent
Juan Pablo Roque, 2/26)
US has favored or covered up piracy in past.
Orlando Bosch, mastermind of 1976 shootdown
of Cubana aircraft near Barbados, wanders freely
about streets of Miami. Luis Posada Carriles,
who was also involved in Cubana case and is a
fugitive from Venezuelan justice, lived in the US
and now resides in Central America.
(Alarcon press conference, 2/26)
US has never compensated families of victims
on Iranian plane US shot down in 1988.
(Alarcon press conference, 2/26)
US Coast Guard made request to have
advance Cuban approval in event wreckage
spotted in Cuban waters.
Brothers to the Rescue have overflown
Havana on at least two occasions, dropping
anti-Castro leaflets. Group head Jose
Basulto currently subject of FAA
investigation for overflight of Havana
on 13 July 1995.
FBI spokesman denied the allegation.
Roque contacted the FBI several days
before the Brothers to the Rescue flight
on 24 February, complained to his
FBI contact that the Bureau owed him
$1,500. He did not pass any information
to the FBI contact.
Bosch was tried by a Venezuelan military
tribunal in 1980 and acquitted due to a lack
of evidence. He was tried in civil
proceedings in 1986 and acquitted, due to
insufficient evidence. Bosch spent 10 years
in prison during proceedings. In 1987, a
Venezuelan higher court upheld Bosch's
acquittal and he was released. As of April
1992, Bosch was living in Miami under
restricted parole (for crimes committed
in the US). Posada Can-lies escaped from
Venezuelan prison before he could be tried.
US had no information on his whereabouts
in 1992.
US agreed to pay compensation, Feb 96.
USE ONLY
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